Strong statement works by region's artists

IN the end, the Russian dissident artist group Pussy Riot didn't win any award, despite grabbing all the media attention - somewhat at the expense of hundreds of other artists who were here last weekend for the Singapore Art Week.

Some say the results of the Prudential Eye Awards showed the triumph of good art and good taste. Others speculated that the judges were simply nervous that Russia's Pussy Riot, had they won, would do something embarrassing on stage and, hence, set the inaugural art awards on the wrong (or is it right?) track so early in its history.

The speculations weren't entirely baseless, considering that finalist Fiona Lowry told the media she was advised by the organisers not to show her paintings of nudes - which form the bulk of her art - but instead put up her "safer" landscape works for the finalists' exhibition in Suntec City.